Tales of Shadows
by Taranea
Summary: Sonic defeated Robotnik long ago and the world is at peace...just not for one two-tailed fox, who seems to have been born so many years too late. Bullied and helpless, Tails is one sad cub...that is, until a blast from the past arrives to stir things up!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: **Hello there and welcome to my latest experiment! This is an AU crossover of sorts, but there will be Sonic characters _only. _So, if you don't recognize what I'm crossing with, it should still be an interesting read. Any seeming OOCness is not accidental, there is a reason. Please enjoy:D **  
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**Tales of Shadows**

_by Taranea_

**Chapter 1:**

"Please give that screwdriver back, Manic." Tails held out his hand, looking pleadingly at the sneering green hedgehog.

"You need to learn how to get it back yourself, twerp. Hey, Vector! Catch!" The older boy called, throwing the tool through the classroom.

"Please! I bought it from my pocket money! Don't break it!"

"If you don´t want us to break it, you better jump a little higher, kid!" the crocodile laughed, holding the screwdriver tantalizingly just out of the young fox´ reach.

"Come on, fight for it!" Manic called, yanking on one of the tails of the kit, "Show us you can do some more than just doodling on your so-called blueprints."

"Otherwise…" Vector supplied and the hedgehog opened the window, "...your precious screwthing might just make a trip into the school swimming pool."

"No! I don´t want to fight! Please!" Tails was staring up at the two taller boys, his helplessness letting him clench his gloved hands into fists. It was in situations like these that he wished he'd never agreed to skip two grades.

"One…" Manic counted mockingly,

"Two…" Vector continued,

"_Cut it, the both of you_!"

"Ugh." The crocodile rolled his eyes.

"Fun-prevention patrol has arrived again." Manic grumbled, "Better give him back that screwdriver before she bites our heads off."

"Yeah. She'd probably _nibble_ us to death." Vector snorted, before tossing the screwdriver into the general direction of the rabbit girl that had just arrived and was now glaring at both of them.

"We could distract her with a carrot," the green hedgehog suggested. "Or maybe you could try to hit on her, Vec."

"…you´re such an idiot, Manic."

"You're _both_ idiots! Leave him alone!" the young rabbit hissed, pushing past them and handing the screwdriver back to its owner.

"Thanks, Cream," Tails said, gladly pocketing the thing again.

"I don´t get why you don´t fight back, Tails!" his friend huffed, "They aren't half as gutsy as they think they are when you get down to it."

"Not in front of _you_, they´re not," the fox replied, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"_Tails!"_

The amber vulpine shrugged. "There´s worse than them."

---

„…and if you ever show up without lunch money again, we'll break _every single bone_ in your body! Tomorrow you'd better have five times the amount. Interest, you know? Freak…"

The huge, white-furred jackal kicked the small fox lying on the ground one final time, spitting on the cement before finally turning around to his gang. "Right. We're leaving."

Tails was cringing at the pain in his belly and writhing, but managed to lift his bruised head before the group had managed to get too far.

"But I don't have that kind of money! Please Raker, my uncle's shop doesn't make that much!"

The leader stopped in his tracks and returned again, where he squatted down next to the prone form and lifted him painfully by the fur strands on top of his head. His sharp carnivore teeth leered at Tails in a wolfish smile.

"Then, Prower, we´ll set fire to that precious shop and take the heat of the flames as payment...and _then_ the insurance money. All because you didn't want pay us, now WOULDN'T THAT BE NICE!"

Raker roared that last part, spittle landing on the fox´ face as his ears flattened themselves at the volume. Tails whimpered.

"Good." Raker´s voice was velvet again, sounding as smooth as a dagger cutting through skin and almost as comforting.

The jackal let the body slump to the ground as he moved to join his group once more, who whooped and cheered. Raker's already broad chest seemed to swell even more for a few minutes... until he abruptly bellowed them into silence, sending the smaller youths staggering, just for the fun of it. When they had vanished around the corner, Tails sat up again, sighing and trying not to cry.

"Tails!"

His head whipped around to see a young girl hurrying towards him.

"Hey, Cream…"

"Oh no, who beat you up this time?! Tails, you have to go to the police or something…!"

The rabbit had knelt down next to him and was now cradling his abused form in her arms. Outside of school her chao Cheese was also with her, fluttering around them anxiously. "Don't let them walk all over you! You're worth so much more than that." Her words were soothing and well-meant and Tails smiled. Cream was usually his champion at school who defended him with a razor sharp tongue and wit to match it against any snide remarks and bullies…but even his best friend (or rather his _only_ friend) couldn't be with him _everywhere. _And the white Jackal, who was four years older than even the boys in his grade, probably wouldn't really be intimidated by her, either. Rabbit stew, anyone? No, he had to leave her out of this.

"Thanks, Cream. But somehow Raker and his gang don't see it that way."

"It was _those_ jerks? From our school? That´s it! We're going to speak to the headmaster right now!" Cream was working herself up as she collected Tails´ strewn belongings and put them back into his school bag, the small Chao helping her.

The fox hung his head.

"No, that just might make it worse…and besides, a guy should be able to stand up for himself, right? At least that´s what Manic always says...you shouldn't be protecting me." he gave her a sad smile as she sat down next to him again, "Guess I´m not much of a guy, huh?"

"Nonsense." Cream´s voice was firm. "You just need some more time. And until then, I'll be there for you," she said, standing up again and proffering him a hand which Tails took gladly, even as he was slightly blushing that he had to be defended by a _girl_.

A pretty girl.

Actually, he even had a slight crush on Cream, but there was no way she'd ever reciprocate that love… He sighed again.

"Don't listen to that idiot green hedgehog either, he's nothing but trouble…" she muttered on as she and Cheese helped him back into an upright position, supporting his weight slightly as his left leg wouldn't stand quite right.

"Manic and Vector aren't that bad…" he defended weakly, only to be immediately cut off by the rabbit.

"They are! They're always picking on you, too!"

"Chao!"

_Yeah, but they at least don´t beat me up_, Tails thought as they made their way towards his home.

Getting picked on was sort of his job at school. He was weak, he was small and he was a nerd, always tinkering with some sort of machinery or mechanical toy. And if that wouldn't have been enough, he was a mutant as well. No idea why. Noone _else_ in his family had two tails, although he had to admit that at least his uncle was slightly nerdy, too.

"Right, here we are," Cream said as they stood before Tails´ house, which was part living apartment, part magic and novelty shop. "Try to take a hot bath for your body so you won´t be sore tomorrow, okay?" the rabbit asked him, concern showing on her face. "And please say hi to Merlin for me and Cheese."

Tails nodded. "Sure. He'll be pleased to hear from you."

Cream smiled. "See you tomorrow, then. And then we'll try to figure something out to do about those bullies."

"Chao chao!"

"Uh-huh. Yeah," he replied as he waved her goodbye, although his tone didn´t carry much conviction. With hanging head and dragging tails he entered his home, the bell above the door jingling as he pushed it open.

"Welcome to Merlin´s Magic shop, how can I…holy Walkers, _Miles!"_

"Hi, uncle Merlin…"

"Whatever happened to you!" The elderly fox hastened from behind the counter and beheld his nephew with increasing alarm as he became aware of how bad the young fox looked. The fur on one side was caked with the dirt of the streets and one cheek was swollen, while a small trickle of blood emanated from both his mouth and the nose. The kit´s bag sported a huge tear that looked as if someone with sharpened claws had slashed it. Tails couldn't even meet his uncle's eyes.

"I fell."

"You _what?"_ Merlin pushed both of his fists into his hip "Miles, I wouldn't even bet my old overalls on that," he said, indicating the fir-tree green dungarees he wore with a swipe of his hand.

"I _fell_." Tails repeated, now beginning to sound stubborn. "And don´t call me like that. My name is 'Tails'."

"Your name is-"

"No! It´s _Tails_!" The young fox was suddenly shouting now, the subdued anger at his own helplessness finally overwhelming him, "Why did my parents give me that stupid name anyway?! Was I born underneath a traffic sign, or what?!" he yelled, tears beginning to show in his eyes, "My name is nothing but a joke! I bet that's also why everyone´s picking on me and threatening me and-" he broke off and raced upstairs sobbing, leaving his school bag as well as a shocked and saddened old fox behind.

---

Later, lying on his bed, Tails had calmed himself a little. He had not meant to yell at Merlin – since his real dad, the military commander Amadeus Prower, was almost never at home, the older fox had become something of a father-figure for him, even if it sometimes was hard to have respect for the aged vulpine…

Merlin´s past was somewhat of a mystery for Tails, but he had pieced together that his uncle had apparently been a party magician of some sort. He was still quite flexible and quick with his fingers – a talent the two-tail had inherited, even if he used it for other ends – but didn´t give any performances anymore. Right now he just ran his shop and looked after Tails while his parents were busy.

And right now he was also peeking through the key hole in the young fox´ door and wondering whether he should come in.

---

Merlin raised one hand to knock. It wavered there in the air for a few seconds, undecided, but then his courage vanished and he let it sink again.

_He's being bullied and he's trying to hide it. And I bet __they're taking his money, too. _

Merlin was everything but stupid. He had seen how often Tails came home hungry. He had seen how often his nephew returned with bruises. And just now he had also seen how the kit had smashed his piggy bank and shoved the entire money into his purse.

The older fox sighed. He knew himself about the dynamics of bullying and how bad the problem was at Tails´ school, the only one in town they could afford for the kit.

_Don't waste your savings on them, Miles, _he thought.

_L__et your uncle do that for you. _

Raising the school bag he had carried with him, he opened it and put an envelope inside that contained his entire takings from the day.

_I hope that helps. May it buy you some peace from them. _

Silently putting the school bag down in front of the door, Merlin went downwards again, praying that his nephew would find a way to solve his problems.

_He lacks __some bigger, stronger friend that would look out for him and teach him some things. And even if that Cream girl -_is-_ pretty cute, she's not quite what my nephew needs._

_--- _

Tails´ ears flicked upwards as he thought he heard steps descending the stairs. Had someone come up and then went down again? But why?

The young fox shrugged and dismissed the thought, instead putting the purse with his collected savings on his desk where he wouldn't forget it in the morning. It stung in his chest when he thought about all the things he would have been able to buy with that instead of giving it to Raker, but it couldn't be helped.

"I guess I´m just not a hero like you, huh, Sonic?"

_To be continued..._

* * *

Wait, didn't that summary say Sonic isn't there? Is that fox kit hallucinating? 

I'm really interested in your opinion and feedback here, and also whether one or two might have noticed the series I'm crossing with. ;)

The loveable bastard **Raker, **of course, is from the 'Secrets of the Emeralds' Sonic series and belongs to the amazing writer JudasFm, who very kindly permitted me the use of him and his kid brother **Bait. **:-)

Next chapter is going to be uploaded soon - either before or after the next installment of my SatsR adaption, and anyone not wanting to wait that long is hereby invited to check out 'Five Things That Never Happened' where you'll see yet _another_ alternate version of Tails, just a tiny bit similar to this. :P

Please read and review!


	2. Chapter 2

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**Chapter 2 **

_Last time..._

Tails´ ears flicked upwards as he thought he heard steps descending the stairs. Had someone come up and then went down again? But why?

The young fox shrugged and dismissed the thought, instead putting the purse with his collected savings on his desk where he wouldn't forget it in the morning. It stung in his chest when he thought about all the things he would have been able to buy with that instead of giving it to Raker, but it couldn't be helped.

"I guess I´m just not a hero like you, huh, Sonic?" he asked.

Sonic didn´t reply, but Tails hadn´t expected him to, either. The blue hero just continued his index finger-waggling gesture on the screen of his television, his pixelated face eternally emblazoned on the title screen.

_Press Start? _

The video game console the TV was connected to, Tails had repaired himself and he was pretty proud of it. The technology had been ancient and the young fox doubted that there were any like it still functioning.

Sonic the Hedgehog, the protagonist of the century-old game had been somewhat of Tails´ childhood idol – and if history (or at least, urban legends) were right, he had even existed at some point in time, battling an evil scientist just like the game depicted…the sole reason why now, more than a hundred years later, kits like him could live in peace and visit schools like Station Square High, _where they get perpetually bullied and called freaks,_ Tails added in his own mind to the official version of his school book.

"I just wish you were still around, Sonic…" _Or if there was more than just one game of you in existence._

He had read up on old records in the internet – apparently there had been a second game in planning, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, where the blue speedster had to save his friend. The new character had never been designed, but supposedly would have been called 'Tails' – which had given the young fox kit the idea for his nickname in the first place, it had just been seemed so fitting! Tails loved to play pretend when he was lonely (read: he played pretend a _lot_) and he had imagined all kinds of adventures he would have gone on with Sonic, just like in the game…

But reality couldn't be changed. He had to give them his money tomorrow.

Raker would make good on his threat otherwise and Tails didn't want any trouble for his uncle Merlin or worry the old fox. His shop was everything to him, containing the fond memories and remnants of one adventurous life. And besides, Tails loved it, too.

"Time for some happier thoughts and pasttimes," he said to himself, trying to pull out of his current funk. The thought of the magic and novelty shop downstairs had reminded the kit of his favourite hobby and current project anyway.

Eagerly, he got out the box that had already been lying underneath his bed for some years now, but on which he always worked when he had inspiration or time.

He dumped the disassembled parts onto his desk and got out the screwdriver that Cream had retrieved for him. It was a very fine and expensive tool and Tails hoped somewhat that it might help him to finally repair the mysterious objects.

"Let´s see…there´s a chip that could go _here_…"

His uncle had lots of strange and old stuff down there in his shop, hidden away in corners, on shelves and in the cellar. 'Magic' tricks were often based on intricate and sometimes fascinatingly progressive machinery, so Tails loved to study and work on broken things and from time to time even repair them. (Earlier, his skills had merely been enough to _wreck_ them, but his uncle had helped him even through this time with a smile and a grinding of teeth.)

The two objects that nearly looked exactly alike seemed to have been smashed and molten beyond help, though. He had discovered them in the same box that had also held the Megadrive video game console, where they had been covered in dust, but Tails still wouldn't give up. The desire to know what exactly those objects were was driving him. He had already painstakingly repaired the outer white and black plastic hull of both, and slowly, a more distinct shape began to emerge.

Tonight it was actually going great. Better than ever, even if his whole body hurt from today. His hands flew over the working space, sliding plates and bolts into place, gluing on rubber rings on the underside and carefully replacing molten parts. Now he even thought he could finally recognize what those things were…!

"…shoes?"

Tails frowned. He had been working for years on those things to find out that they were _shoes_?!

"Strange shoes…" he frowned, turning the pair in his hands this way and that.

"Hey, that almost looks like a Chaos Energy receptor!" he exclaimed as he looked more closely at one of the chips he had so hurriedly slipped into place earlier.

The Chaos Emeralds were a thing of legend, of course, but Chaos Drives were now the most used power-source…even the young fox had some up here, mostly for the toy planes he sometimes engineered.

Biting his lip to not bend any of the electrodes, he carefully extracted two of the green Drives from his drawer and then connected their ends to the chips.

At first, nothing happened.

Then, the soles erupted into fire.

The fox gasped, his eyes blinded by the light, engulfing everything until Tails´ whole world consisted of blazing brightness and nothing more.

---

Merlin looked up at the ceiling, frowning. He could have sworn he´d just heard his nephew scream…

_And then he was suddenly c__ut off and slumped to the floor, because an insane axe murderer just climbed through the window. Yeah, right. I´m really getting old. Probably shouldn't be watching those horror movies anymore, either…_

_--- _

In Tails´ room, the young fox picked himself off the floor. Dizzily, the small twin-tailed figure looked around, as if he didn´t recognize his surroundings at all. Then, his gaze fell upon the Sonic the Hedgehog title screen.

"I can´t remember who that is, but for some reason he bugs me already."

The fox turned around to the table and froze as he beheld the shoes. Hesitatingly, he reached out to touch them, as if he couldn't believe they were real. Then he grabbed them in one lightning-quick movement and slid them on hurriedly, apparently sighing in content as he stood again. A gloved hand touched the purse that was still lying on the table at that.

"Oh, right…" his voice growled. "_Raker_…"

The small fox picked up the phone, got out the class list and dialled a number. Soon after, Merlin did a double take as he heard the door slam, his nephew not even bothering to say goodbye.

The old fox glanced at the clock.

"Almost midnight…!" he rushed out. "Miles! Come back! This is no time to be out alone for a young kit!"

But the street was already deserted.

---

"He got some nerve, calling us at this hour…" a jackal was growling, pacing the school yard and gnashing his teeth. "But if that kid wants to play, we'll play. Raker doesn't back down from anyone, you hear me?!" He barked at his gang who were quick to assure that yes, Raker didn´t back down from anyone and no, they didn´t mind at all being out in the cold at this time of night.

"HEY, FREAK! COME OUT NOW!" he roared, his voice eerily echoing through the deserted streets. The thin, rusty skeleton of the monkey bars shivered in the light breeze, as if it had been frightened by Raker as well, but nothing else seemed to happen, until…

"No worries, I´m here."

"What?!" Raker spun around and their gaze fell on a lone figure, sitting atop the school roof relaxed, his silhouette outlined against the moon.

"Huh, how did he get up on there? It´s kinda high…" a younger jackal muttered, apparently in awe.

"I don´t _care_ how he got up there, idiot! But I want him _down_, NOW!" Raker bellowed, making the smaller gang member wince and duck, yet the figure on the roof didn´t even bat an eyelid.

"If that is your wish…"

The fox stood up and leapt from the rim.

"Wha-?!" A few of the more easily scared youths fled, but most remained there, even if it was only because their fear of the consequences of disobedience was greater than the worry what would happen if the crazed fox landed on their heads.

Nothing like this happened, however.

Instead, jets embedded in the shoes suddenly blazed into life and the figure _hovered_ down, his arms crossed in front of his chest as he descended slowly to land in front of them.

Raker recovered first. "Nice light show, freak. But I don´t care for the lame magic from your uncle's shop. You said you had the money, so fork it over!"

The fox smiled.

"Uh, Raker…" the younger jackal was tugging at the bigger one´s vest nervously, "mebbe we should go home, I dunt like how he's lookin'…"

"Have I asked for you opinion, bait?!" The white-furred jackal slapped the other one and sent him sprawling onto the ground where he fell silent. "I don´t like how _your_ scrawny carcass looks, but do I ever complain? Now let me finish my business," he snarled, before facing the smaller fox again.

"Not so fast," The two-tail held up a hand, seemingly unmoved by the display of viciousness. "I have the money with me in my glove. But let´s have a little competition for it first."

"Competition?" Raker repeated. He was more than irritated. Not only seemed Tails to have completely reversed his personality, he had also changed his tone – the kit sounded as if he´d hit puberty and managed to compress two years of breaking of the voice into the time span of one evening.

"A competition," the fox confirmed. "You and me, one against one, no holds barred. No killing, though. The winner gets the money and doesn't get bothered by the loser again."

Raker started laughing.

The small vulpine still smiled.

"Y-you _kiddin_'?" the jackal howled. "I'll bite you to pieces! You don´t stand a chance! You hear me guys?! The foxling´s gone insane!" he called back to his gang.

The other teens nodded, hesitatingly. In fact, though, they didn´t feel nearly as confident as their leader. Because they had regarded the fox a little bit more closely.

And they had seen it wasn´t just his voice and eerie calm that made him different from the Tails of this afternoon – _this_ Tails was also a little taller. He stood different. And the fur on his back and on the back of his head had changed, too…it looked almost like flaring spikes.

But the most disconcerting difference was his eyes. Because, they were sure as hell, those baby blue orbs that had cried so often at their feet had never looked so fierce. And _never_ this crimson.

'Tails' wasn´t smiling. It was a smirk and a dark promise.

"Well, Raker?" the fox asked.

"Turning you into pulp should be fun. And I think your uncle will more than willingly cough up some cash when we deliver you and your tails back to your house, _separately,_" the jackal replied, cracking his knuckles. "But perhaps it's not fair if I have all the merriment alone. Isn't that right, my friends...?" He asked, not tearing his gaze from the boy as he waved them to his side like a hunter will call on his dogs when the fox is cornered.

The kit scowled. "I _said_ one on one."

"Tough luck, freak. But you've got to see it from my point of view…I want you to hold still when I tear your appendages off, slowly, and so a few of my pack will have to keep you in position. It's a lot more fun when I don't have to deal with your annoying struggling…more fun for us _both_, no?" he asked, his fangs once more exposed in a wide grin that was madness, and what was worse, it was a controlled madness, a madness that knew it was mad, madness that revelled at its power, looking forward to inflict pain once more…

"Alright, guys? Let´s have fox fry tonight..." Raker growled with a twisted joy riding on his words, and the teens got into motion, all of them wishing never, ever to see that grin up close. They were reluctant at first, but then came with more vigour, as it became apparent everyone was moving. After all, even if that fox looked a little bit more freaky tonight, it was still ten against one, right? What could he possibly do?

And, as one, they charged.

The spot the fox had been in suddenly was empty. Confused, their heads whirled and they beheld him some ten yards further off, puzzled as to how he could have gotten there so fast.

'Tails' snipped his fingers. An emerald green fire started to burn in his hands.

"You violated the rules first," he said, "That means 'No killing' is off, too."

His smirk spread into a grin, but it wasn´t one of innocent mirth. Their eyes watered as they thought they could see gold rings materialize on his ankles and wrists.

_"Say, jackal…have you ever heard of_ _Chaos Spear?"_

_---- _

The alarm clock rung as always at 6.30 am and a gloved hand slapped it silent. The young fox sat up in his bed and yawned. He felt incredibly tired, almost as if he´d been up all night. Even his head pounded, as if it suddenly was more…crowded?

The amber-furred figure stretched, ignoring the protests of his sore muscles and the nonsense thoughts that one gets in the early morning.

_When did I even go to bed…? _

Tails frowned. He couldn't remember. The last thing he did was working on those things that had turned out to be shoes and then…his gaze flickered to his desk.

"The shoes! They're gone!" he gasped, but then noticed that they were, in fact, on his own feet. And fit very snugly, at that. Had he ever put them on?

_Heh. Maybe I'll wear them for school. That would be at least one nice thing today..._ Sighing, he snatched the purse from the table as well and opened his door to continue down to breakfast.

"Morning, uncle Merlin!" He called, but apparently his uncle had already opened the shop and breakfasted without him. Shrugging, Tails poured himself some milk and sat down. His gaze fell on the newspaper and blue eyes became the size of his own saucer.

A kid from Station Square High attacked. Victim in coma, cause of damage not yet confirmed, medical staff puzzled. Perpetrator unknown. Nine others scared out of their wits and refusing to talk.

Name of victim: Raker the Jackal.

Tails could feel a cold shudder running down his spine that had nothing to do with the morning chill.

_End of Prologue_

"Then again, maybe I should just stop reading manga," the fox muttered to himself. "_Especially_ that Game King stuff."

* * *

Whoever said it would be _Sonic_ to the rescue? 

And poor Raker, he just doesn't seem to learn, does he...

Allright! Heh, originally that was intended as a one-shot-ish drabble, but now I received such a lot of cool feedback that it got the ideas flowing...meaning there is an entire story in the works! It will take some time before I actually start uploading it though...first I need to finish either Burning Arrow or Life, and secondly for the backstory for this to work I need to play sonic nextgen...for which I don't own the console. T.T

But never fear, this won't die - for chaos is sure to ensue when Tails has to face a frightened jackal cub at school, Manic gets into trouble with his old gang, Merlin has something an arrogant teenage billionaire wants, and a new, shy, white-furred British exchange student arrives who might just have something in common with the twin tail...and what's that about an escaped convict?! And of course, there's still a certain blue hedgehog who hasn't shown his face yet - all of this and more to come in _**"Tails" of Shadow(s)**..._so put this on alert and please review:D

And mind you, I almost had it like this:

Tails (hovering down in front of Raker): Since you were so kind to release me, my master, I will grant you a wish...

_Side note: _As for the crossover, this is of course Yugioh! and anyone who doesn't know it and takes a look at the first chapter of the manga might be pleasantly surprised...;) as always, no knowledge required for continued reading. If I ever start to write three chapters full of a very detailed card game, though, you might wanna get Knux to whack me upside the head. I don't think there will be any of that sort, though...anyone not familiar with the series might want to check out the ' yugioh abridged series' by LittleKuriboh, though, via google. Funny even without the background knowledge and highly entertaining.

End rant. Your thoughts:D


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